Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies among Atayal aboriginal people and their hunting dogs in northeastern Taiwan

Atayal aborigines, living at an altitude of 1,500-1,600 m in northeastern Taiwan, still hunt for wild animals with the help of hunting dogs. In this study, the latex agglutination test (LAT) was used to detect sera anti-toxoplasma antibodies in this community as a measure of their exposure to Toxoplasma gondii. The positive rates for sera anti-toxoplasma antibodies were 21.8% and 19.6%, respectively, in 422 Atayal and 51 hunting dogs tested. Neither of the positive rates were found to be significantly different between male (22.1%) and female Atayal (21.4%), or between humans (21.8%) and dogs (19.6%) (P > 0.05) when compared by the Chi-Squared test (chi 2-test). A significant difference was observed between the positive rates in adults (28.3%) and children (18.7%) (P < 0.05), and the age pattern of prevalence is consistent with an increasing duration of exposure to Toxoplasma gondii with age. The consumption of raw liver of wild animals or insufficiently cooked meat may be the major mode of transmission of toxoplasmosis in Atayal.     

Community-Based Ecotourism and Primate Watching as a Conservation Tool in the Amazon Rainforest

International Journal of Primatology - Community-based tourism is a participatory approach implemented to support the economic and social development of local communities. Here, we present the...     

鼓槌石斛的资源现状与保护利用研究

目的:调查鼓槌石斛野生及栽培资源现状,为鼓槌石斛资源的可持续利用提供对策。方法:查阅文献,走访与实地调查相结合的方法。结果:由于过度采挖和生态环境的变化,鼓槌石斛野生资源破坏严重。鼓槌石斛人工栽培已经初具规模,以普洱地区面积最大。采收主要部位由老茎转变为鲜花,随着鲜花产品的开发利用,市场前景较好。结论:建议加大保护野生鼓槌石斛资源的力度,提高人工栽培鼓槌石斛质量。     

中国熊类资源数量估计及保护对策

我国熊类资源丰富,是多熊的国家之一．历史上,我国对熊类资源的猎捕利用,一直维持着较高的水平．然而,近百年来,特别是近５０年来,由于人口增多,森林采伐,熊类的栖息条件发生了很大的变化,资源数量显著减少,分布区亦大大缩小,许多原来有熊地区现在已经无熊了,尤其是近１０年来活熊取胆汁技术试验成功之后,城乡各地养熊取胆事业一时曾出现高潮,亦给野生种群带来很大的压力,因而,尽快查明熊类资源数量的现状已是急待解决的问题．依据近年的调查及若干重点产区的实地踏查,估计我国棕熊约有５９００～７２００只,黑熊１７５００～１９５００只,马来熊１４０只左右,本文讨论了数量分布特点、栖息地变化及保护对策     

西双版纳野生花卉资源的利用与保护

西双版纳有着丰富的野生花卉资源,它们具有独特的观赏和生态特性,目前大部分尚未得到合理开发利用,同时还存在灭绝的危险。对当地野生花卉资源的分布、特点及受威胁状况进行了探讨,并提出对其合理利用与保护的建议。     

Conservation of the horseshoe crab at Kinmen, Taiwan: strategies and practices

In order to conserve the horseshoe crab, Tachypleus tridentatus, a famous living fossil in Kinmen and Taiwan, several investigations related to its basic biology were conducted, and public education/participation programs were implemented. Biological investigations included artificially inducing spawning in the laboratory and field, rearing of juveniles, monitoring of habitat characteristics, and establishing a protected area. The grain size of the sediment of the spawning ground was 0.4–1.8mm in diameter and that of the juvenile nursing ground was 0.11–0.19mm. The most suitable water temperature for incubating eggs and rearing juveniles ranged from 28 to 31°C. A total of 800ha of the coastal zone on Kinmen was designated a protected area for the horseshoe crab, based on the Fishery Law, in December 1999. Fishing is prohibited for the 5-year period from 2000 to 2004. Public education programs were conducted to help local people learn about the basic biology of the horseshoe crab, to become aware of its importance and the necessity for conservation, and to empower them to actively participate in the conservation of this species. In addition, a horseshoe crab conservation program has also been incorporated as an element of the local ecotourism industry. Biotechnology business opportunities that may be created as a result of viable horseshoe crab populations will also be promoted.     

Effects of Community-Based Natural Resource Management on Household Welfare in Namibia

Biodiversity conservation, as an environmental goal, is increasingly recognized to be connected to the socioeconomic well-being of local communities. The development of a widespread community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) program in Namibia makes it an ideal location to analyze the connection between conservation and socioeconomic well-being of local communities. Namibia’s CBNRM program involves the formation of communal conservancies within rural communities and previous studies have found it to be successful on both ecological and economic fronts. In order to broaden the understanding of the program’s impact to include social factors, we have conducted a comparative analysis to determine the effects of this program on household welfare outcomes. Data from two rounds of the Namibia Demographic and Health Surveys (2000 and 2006/07) and quasi-experimental statistical methods were used to evaluate changes in various health, education and wealth outcomes of those living in conservancies, relative to non-conservancy comparison groups. Regression results indicate mixed effects of the conservancy program at the household level. The program had positive effects on some health outcome variables, including bednet ownership, which was twice as likely to increase over time in conservancy compared to non-conservancy households. Program impacts were negative for education outcomes, with the proportion of school attendance of conservancy children being 45% less likely to increase over time than non-conservancy children. Wealth outcome results were inconclusive. Our findings highlight the importance of analyzing community conservation programs at a variety of scales when evaluating overall impact, as community-level benefits may not necessarily extend down to the household level (and vice versa).     

Perceptual Adaptation to the Correction of Natural Astigmatism

Background

The visual system adjusts to changes in the environment, as well as to changes within the observer, adapting continuously to maintain a match between visual coding and visual environment. We evaluated whether the perception of oriented blur is biased by the native astigmatism, and studied the time course of the after-effects following spectacle correction of astigmatism in habitually non-corrected astigmats.

Methods and Findings

We tested potential shifts of the perceptual judgments of blur orientation in 21 subjects. The psychophysical test consisted on a single interval orientation identification task in order to measure the perceived isotropic point (astigmatism level for which the image did not appear oriented to the subject) from images artificially blurred with constant blur strength (B = 1.5 D), while modifying the orientation of the blur according to the axis of natural astigmatism of the subjects. Measurements were performed after neutral (gray field) adaptation on naked eyes under full correction of low and high order aberrations. Longitudinal measurements (up to 6 months) were performed in three groups of subjects: non-astigmats and corrected and uncorrected astigmats. Uncorrected astigmats were provided with proper astigmatic correction immediately after the first session. Non-astigmats did not show significant bias in their perceived neutral point, while in astigmatic subjects the perceived neutral point was significantly biased, typically towards their axis of natural astigmatism. Previously uncorrected astigmats shifted significantly their perceived neutral point towards more isotropic images shortly (2 hours) after astigmatic correction wear, and, once stabilized, remained constant after 6 months. The shift of the perceived neutral point after correction of astigmatism was highly correlated with the amount of natural astigmatism.

Conclusions

Non-corrected astigmats appear to be naturally adapted to their astigmatism, and astigmatic correction significantly changes their perception of their neutral point, even after a brief period of adaptation.     

浙江鹭类资源现状及其保护对策浙江鹭类资源现状及其保护对策

对鹭类分布、营巢地、资源动态、栖息地资源利用进行了分析,提出了存在的问题以及鹭类资源保护的对策。     

Developing a Referral Protocol for Community-Based Occupational Therapy Services in Taiwan: A Logistic Regression Analysis

Because resources for long-term care services are limited, timely and appropriate referral for rehabilitation services is critical for optimizing clients’ functions and successfully integrating them into the community. We investigated which client characteristics are most relevant in predicting Taiwan’s community-based occupational therapy (OT) service referral based on experts’ beliefs. Data were collected in face-to-face interviews using the Multidimensional Assessment Instrument (MDAI). Community-dwelling participants (n = 221) ≥ 18 years old who reported disabilities in the previous National Survey of Long-term Care Needs in Taiwan were enrolled. The standard for referral was the judgment and agreement of two experienced occupational therapists who reviewed the results of the MDAI. Logistic regressions and Generalized Additive Models were used for analysis. Two predictive models were proposed, one using basic activities of daily living (BADLs) and one using instrumental ADLs (IADLs). Dementia, psychiatric disorders, cognitive impairment, joint range-of-motion limitations, fear of falling, behavioral or emotional problems, expressive deficits (in the BADL-based model), and limitations in IADLs or BADLs were significantly correlated with the need for referral. Both models showed high area under the curve (AUC) values on receiver operating curve testing (AUC = 0.977 and 0.972, respectively). The probability of being referred for community OT services was calculated using the referral algorithm. The referral protocol facilitated communication between healthcare professionals to make appropriate decisions for OT referrals. The methods and findings should be useful for developing referral protocols for other long-term care services.     

Catholicism and Conservation: The Potential of Sacred Natural Sites for Biodiversity Management in Central Italy

The connection between religion, nature and conservation has become a prominent topic among scholars and conservation practitioners. Numerous studies have shown that spiritual beliefs have contributed to preserving important biodiversity in sacred areas around the world. In Western contexts, however, that link has been underexplored, perhaps due to a common view of Christianity as anti-naturalistic. Here, I rely on a literature review and first-hand observations to identify patterns and trends characterizing Catholic sacred sites in Central Italy. I show that a high proportion of the sites are located in natural areas, and that some types of sites and strands of Catholicism are associated with natural settings more frequently than others. Further, these natural sacred sites often display ecological features that highlight their important conservation role. Greater awareness and consideration of local spiritual heritages are recommended to guarantee more effective and integrated management of the sites.     

Community-Based Rehabilitation in Botswana: The Myth of the Hidden Disabled

Community-Based Rehabilitation in Botswana: The Myth of the Hidden Disabled. Benedicte lngstad. Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press, 1997. xi. 384 pp.     

Institutional Development in the Face of Complexity: Developing Rules for Managing Forest Resources

The ability to develop institutions is constrained by human capacity to cope with complexity. But complexity is multidimensional and it is not clear which forms of complexity present the greatest challenges for institutional development. In the context of natural resources, the predictability of resource availability affects expectations that an individual or group will be able to capture the benefits of management. In addition, incomplete understanding of cause-and-effect relationships creates uncertainty about the consequences of alternative management options. These features influence calculations about resource management. The importance of resource complexity relative to various social, political, and institutional factors known to influence collective choice remains an open question. We evaluate the relative importance of several forms of resource complexity and characteristics of resource users for the development of rules for management for forest products in Indiana.     

广西十万大山自然保护区植物资源

本文报道了广西十万大山自然保护区植物资源,介绍其中主要的材用植物、药用植物、油脂植物、纤维植物、淀粉植物、杂果植物、芳香植物、栲胶植物、保健饮料植物、饲用植物、花卉观赏植物、水土保持植物、珍稀濒危植物等13类资源植物,最后提出植物资源保护与开发利用的建议.